Family Farms Devastated: Your Help Needed Today

While news headlines are focused on the shutdown of the federal government, farmers and ranchers are reeling from natural disasters. In Colorado, an epic late September flood destroyed crops, soil, roads and irrigation infrastructure. In South Dakota, an early October blizzard dropped four feet of snow, killing tens of thousands of cattle. To make matters worse, the agencies that farmers rely on after natural disasters were closed in the government shutdown. Though they’re getting back to work today, important farm programs are still not in operation because the Farm Bill was allowed to expire.

Immediately following both disasters, Farm Aid reached out to people on the ground to assess the damage to family farmers and ranchers and offer immediate assistance.

In Colorado, crops were lost at harvest time after months of tending; fields were flooded — with roaring rivers and pollutants, their priceless soil washed away. Irrigation systems that bring water from the mountains are destroyed; with no timeline for their repair, next season is uncertain for many farmers.
In South Dakota, farmers and ranchers are searching for their cattle and burying those that did not survive. Some lost their entire herds, a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars. But it’s the emotional toll that is most devastating. Ranchers are caretakers, and at the mercy of this early blizzard there was nothing they could do to protect their cows.

17 responses to Family Farms Devastated: Your Help Needed Today

I grew up on a ranch/farm in N.E. Montana and the food and grains my Dad produced was what helped feed the world and he worked to produce the healthiest product he could. Food you buy from huge corporations are full of hormones and chemicals and cannot compare. It’s a shame that our family farms are disappearing and that our government doesn’t understand that the independent farmers cannot take a hit like the huge corporations can. Thank you for all you do! Unfortunately, South Dakota has had more that one year that they have been plagued with problems. This last one has forced many of them to give up. Makes me very sad. Ranchers here in Paradise Valley south of Livingston Montana where I live have sent hay and cattle to help those in South Dakota more than once. People give what they can spare. The government falls so short at times like this. God bless you and keep on keepin on.

Hello and good day to you..Thank all you ranchers and farmers for all you do. My sons fathers family are farmers in Arizona and in California. Tolmachoff Farms and Ranches… I am in Sonoma and I do grow my own veges.. I will HELP where I can, also TDWiley Farms in Madera, Calif. Organic and deliver to the public. The Governor here in California is cutting water out of the valley here while NESTLES STEALS it… Then your president cut or did not sign the Farm Bill. I do not understand this at all… Looks like Americans must pull together to SAVE AMERICA from ruin. I AM IN!! Willie I haven’t seen you in a while but we met in 1975 at the Palamino Club in NHollywood, Ca and Waylon an Jesse were with you. I gave you a Rose and you hit me back in the head with it!! Three of my sisters were with me…Great memories and laughs still. Hey, I wrote a song for you driving through Arizona in 2002 for Waylon and you.. pretty nice I must say. I write alot of songs though.. have since 1967 when mother died. Thanks from my heart.. peace be all your journeys.. again, will HELP where I can but please send e-mail..

Another way to donate if the red button does not work or to mail checks: If you have Facebook, look up Heifers for SD page. They are accepting livestock donations to try and get some of the young ranchers in SD back on their feet and also accepting checks. I am not sure what organizations in CO there are right now!

You can also go to Help for South Dakota, or the Heifers for S. Dakota Facebook page to donate, and they have mailing addresses posted to mail a check if you prefer. Thanks to all that are spreading the word and helping in any way they can!

I feel so bad for what has happened if I had the money I would fly to a farm and help my ass off because that’s what people are suppose to do and I have the farm experience. I am truly sorry to all the ranchers and farmers if I could be their I definently would

Thank you Willie. By the grace of God, the blizzard missed me only by a few miles, but effected many of my friends with terrible losses. Some may never recover. Please continue your wonderful cause, let people know just what this does not only to the lives of the people here but also the effect it will have on the economy of the beef industry. A PROUD SOUTH DAKOTAN, and foundation quarter horse breeder. Deb Reindl

I’m speaking to the Christian community, to those that are believers in Jesus Christ. Listen to me and listen to me well. These things are NOT happening because God is judging our Nation. God is Not mad at either believers or nonbelievers. God loves us very much He is good and His Mercy is falling on us like rain. He was well aware of our sins when He sent Jesus to the cross to take the punishment for us and Redeem us. So Snap out of it! Quit playing church and Be The Church. Gather together in churches and your homes. Worship strong and loud. Call on the name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Remind yourselves who he is. Pray from the depths of your beings, Thank Him and Proclaim Victory. Don’t forget faith without works is dead. Have compassion on these farmers, your neighbors and kin. Dig deep, do what you can and we Will see the salvation of our God!

As I have gotten older. And I mean older. Life is definitely Peaks and Valleys. Whether it is ranching, farming, dairy, trucking or anything. This too will pass. God Bless America for being so generous to help all mankind. Nothing like it in the rest of the world. Thank you Willy for being the man your parents raised you to be. KEEP ON KEEPING ON

Thanks for recognizing the South Dakota Atlas blizzard disaster. We live on a ranch on the plains east of the Black Hills of South Dakota. We live on a generational ranch that raises cattle, quarter horses, dogs, and kids. My Dad was an old time cowboy that always spoke of The Blizzard of 49, and throughout his life always talked of the devastation that that storm brought. He always believed that the younger generation would never live through anything like what he witnessed. My father passed away a few years back, but the ole timers now are saying that The Atlas blizzard is Far Worse, because of the”perfect storm” conditions that were preceded and followed that storm.
We weathered the storm far better than most, but the heartache and sadness that has followed this storm for our dear neighbor and friends is heartbreaking and staggering. Everyone has there own story of loss and sadness to go with the animals that were lost. Many young families have been wiped out and will be forced into bankruptcy.
We live in a community that is more like family than just neighbors you don’t know. We work together and pull for each other in any way we can. My husband spend a few days this past week helping neighbors that lost most of their herds gather the live ones and load and trail them home. He would come home every night with his head down and such heartache for our dear friends. The stories of out reaching communities are the same with catastrophic losses. It is such a sad time now in Western South Dakota. We are a strong people and we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward the best we can with the help of each other and our dear Lord. Willie, please say a prayer for us at this sad time.